Red Sox-Tigers (August 26, 2005)

Please note that tonight's game wil start at 8:05 p.m. instead of 7:05. The grounds crew needs the extra time to finish getting the field ready for baseball after the Rolling Stones shows earlier in the week. The game will be carried by WSBK, NESN (outside of Boston) and WEEI. Tim Wakefield (12-10, 4.29) opens this three-game series versus the Detroit Tigers. Wake will be opposed by Detroit's Jason Johnson (7-9, 4.09). With the Yankees creeping up slowly behind them in the A.L. East -- they are only 2.5-games back to start today -- the Red Sox need to take advantage of the lowly Tigers and take all three contests. Last night served as a kick to the Red Sox Nation jewels. Curt Schilling started is first game since April 23 and it was not pretty. Schill was schelled -- he lasted five innings and his stat line of 9 hits and 6 earned runs isn't what we were expecting. In all fairness to Schilling he hadn't started a major league game in just over four months and he had also been in the closer role for the Sox since the All-Star break so maybe (hopefully) last night was just a rough draft of what will be a masterpiece finish for the Boston ace. If not, put him back in the bullpen and let Jonathan Papelbon start -- at worst the Sox would finish out of the playoffs but at least they would be laying the foundation for the future of the organization.